Telmisartan, 4′-[(1,7′-dimethyl-2′-propyl[2,5′-bis-1H-benzimidazol]-3′-yl)methyl][1,1′-biphenyl]-2-carboxylic acid is a known ACE inhibitor useful in therapy as antihypertensive agent. Its preparation is disclosed in EP 502314 and comprises the alkylation of 4-methyl-6-(1-methyl-benzimidazol-2-yl)-2-propylbenzimidazole (A) with t-butyl 4′-(bromomethyl)biphenyl-2-carboxylate (B)

However, compound (B) is not commercially available and its synthesis requires a n umber of steps, among them the protection of the carboxylic function which is finally removed by hydrolysis. There is therefore the need for an alternative synthesis for the industrial preparation of telmisartan, which makes use of commercially available or easy to prepare intermediates and which, if possible, avoids the additional steps of protection and deprotection of the carboxylic function.